SALEM — Mayor Kimberley Driscoll delivered her inaugural address on Monday morning, highlighting the city’s accomplishments and perseverance as newly elected city councilors and School Committee members were sworn in during the city’s first virtual inauguration.
Driscoll was elected mayor in 2005 and was reelected for a fifth term in November.
Going into the new year, Driscoll is focusing on challenges including the climate crisis, pandemic recovery, the changing economy, the cost and availability of housing, the quality of the education system, and the need for more equitable approaches in all efforts.
Driscoll led off her speech by acknowledging and honoring the indigenous land that Salem sits on — Naumkeag — and encouraged others to “never lose sight of the important legacy of those who were living here in 1625 and for many generations prior.”
With the ongoing pandemic that has already taken the lives of 97 Salem residents, Driscoll extended her support and appreciation to the healthcare workers who have worked at Salem Hospital and are caring for those sick with COVID-19.
As public servants, Driscoll said the important part of that work is to make a safe community for all.
“The work of recovering from this pandemic should be our testament to the memories of the lives lost and the extra efforts being made by so many — from nurses and doctors to teachers, custodians, and small-business owners. Let’s not let the past nearly two years of struggle and hardships be for naught,” Driscoll said. “From improving our vaccination levels to protecting our residents from severe illness and death, to rebuilding our economy and our neighborhoods, this work has been, and continues to be critical.”
Driscoll also addressed the city’s commitment to providing safe, affordable, accessible housing to everyone, while maintaining a commitment to an inclusive, equity-focused approach.
In addition to the work done to benefit residents, Driscoll also highlighted the importance of the city’s efforts to face the climate crisis.
“Salem will continue our capital investments in resiliency: seawalls, coastal improvements, flood mitigation, lots more trees, converting existing buildings into energy-efficient green structures and installing rooftop solar everywhere we can,” Driscoll said. “We must broaden our efforts to reduce single-passenger vehicle use through initiatives like the Salem Skipper, Bluebikes, and more complete streets and off-street-path projects.”
Driscoll mentioned the city being a ready partner in the Commonwealth Wind project — which is turning a coal-power plant into a natural-gas plant — which will become a major offshore wind-energy site.
Bringing this to Salem, Driscoll said, will create “hundreds of green jobs, substantial growth to our commercial-tax base, but — most importantly of all — a significant and positive step forward in ending our commonwealth’s and our country’s reliance on fossil fuels.”
Another area of Driscoll’s focus in the coming years is on Salem schools, including the upcoming school-facility master plan, the continued high-school redesign work, and broadening the early education and multilingual learning programs.
“Every child deserves the opportunity to succeed academically, personally, and socially, and in a safe and supportive school and classroom,” Driscoll said.
Thanks to those who serve the city, Driscoll said, Salem has been made more livable, more welcoming, and more vibrant.
“I’m grateful to be in such good company and look forward to our work together,” Driscoll said. “Onward in 2022.”
